Toy bombing plane



NOV. 3, 1936. T, E THOMPSQN 2,059,418

TOY BMBING PLANE Filed Feb. 6, 1934 Louis I. 117. 171mm wson,

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Patented Nov. 3, 1936 y TOY BOMBING PLANE Louis T. E. Thompson, Dahlgren, Va., assigner of i one-third to Henry C. Parker, Washingto Application February 6, 1934, Serial No. '110,016 (Cl. is-s1) 6 Claims This invention relates to toy bombing planes and it comprises a free ying toy glider or aeroplane carrying a bomb, with means for releasing said bomb while said aeroplane is in undisturbed .iiight and after a predetermined time interval or after a predetermined distance of flight, the said bomb being adapted to hit a target; all as more fully set forth and as claimed. In the prior art Various toy bombing planes have been suggested. U. S. Patent No. 1,912,925, for example, describes a plane designed to be carried by the operator with various bomb releases which are tripped by hand. My prior U. S.

Patent No. 1,924,261 describes an aeroplane usually mounted on a tower with a bomb designed to be `dropped upon a moving target. Other toy aeroplanes have been mounted on swinging arms or have been suspended from wires, with various means being provided for the release of toy bombs. In none of these prior art devices has provision been made for the dropping of a bomb at a predetermined point with the toy plane in undisturbed full night.

Other toys have been designed to release parachutes. U. S. Patent No. 1,821,172, for example, releases a parachute when its momentum is lost and just before the wings of the aeroplane open. In the design of Patent No. 1,845,613 a parachute is shot out when the nose of the plane hits an obstruction. Even in these aeroplane-parachute toys there has been no provision for release of a toy element from a plane in undisturbed ight.

In none of the bombing plane toys nor in the parachute-plane toys has any means been described for the release of a toy element after a predetermined time interval or after a predeter mined distance of flight. None of these toys therefore can be used in the bombing game which I have invented.

In this game a toy aeroplane or glider is employed which carries a bomb capable of being released at a predetermined point with the toy plane or glider in full ight. The bomb is adapted to hit a target which is provided and which may be moving or stationary. 'Ihus a competitive game is provided which affords many of the thrills and requires much of the skill of the true bombing attack.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown, more or less diagrammatically, several advantageous embodiments of my toy bombing aeroplane which fall within the purview of my invention and are capable of use in the described In this showing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my toy bombing glider ready to be released from a tower with a target in front of and below the point of release.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of one form of bomb and bomb release mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bomb shown in Fig. 2, taken along the line 33.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of bomb and of bomb release mechanism.

In the various figures like elements are designated by like reference numerals. Referring to Fig. 1, element I represents a toy bombing glider which is shown resting on a platform 2. The platform is mounted on four posts 3 which are supported by a base 4. The glider itself y is of known construction but is provided with a bomb 5.

The glider shown in Fig. 1 is designed to be shot from the platform 2 by a rubber band 6 which engages a notch 'I provided in the body of the glider. The glider is released by merely pulling it backwardly by its tail and letting go when sucient tension is obtained in the rubber band.

In Fig. 1 there is also shown a/target I8 over which the aeroplane is intended to fly as the bomb 5 is dropped. 'I'his target may be provided with a sheet of percussion caps I 9 which explode upon being struck by the bomb. This target may, of course, be provided with a bulls eye and circles, each circle being given a number representing a score. My game may then be played and scored much like a competition on a rifle range.

The details of one form of bomb mounting are shown in Fig. 2. In this iigure, the bomb is held within a cut away section 8 of the body of the. glider. It is supported by a cord 9, which may be wrapped around the body of the bomb any number 'of times, the end being then slipped under a spring clip I0, or in a slit cut in the wood of the body of the glider. l

The bomb itself may be of simple construction as best shown in Fig. 3. An outer cylindrical casing I I is provided, this casing being constricted at one end as shown at I2. Within the casing a ball bearing I3 is provided which ts the casing loosely but is too large to pass through the constriction I2. The other end of the casing is closed by a stopper I4, at the end of which a vane or feather I5 may be attached. Within the casing there is a steel cylinder or anvil I6, and between this anvil and the ball bearing I3, there may be placed a toy percussion cap Il.

If desired the structure shown in Fig. 2 can be modied by the inclusion of side shields on both ytime of release.

sides of the bomb to help conceal the bomb and to form a pocket in which the bomb may be carried. d

InFig.4amodiedbombisshownaswellasa modied method of releasing the same. In this embodiment a pulley 20 is provided, upon which is wound a cord 9. This cord is attached to the bomb at one end while the other is provided with a knot which is slipped into a notch 2l on the rim of the pulley. The bomb shown in Fig. 4 is closed at its lower end which terminates in a pint. It may also be provided with a steel cylinder anvil I6 and a cap il. With this type of bomb it is desirable to employ a target which is of soft material, such asvcork with the exception 4of a bulls eye which is oIEV harder material.

The cap will then explode only when the bulls eye is struck. Otherwise the point` 22 will merely penetrate the target breaking the fallv of the bomb suiciently to prevent explosion.

'I'he bombs shown in Figs. 2 and 4 are released in much the same manner. The weight of the bomb shown in Fig. 2 causes it to unwind the cord and to iinally drop freely. The number of turns of cord around the bomb determines the The feather I5 rights the bomb in the air and it strikes on the ball bearing I3. In the case of the bomb shown in Fig. 4, the weight of the bomb causes the cord to unwind from the pulley. The cord is released and the bomb drops freely as soon as the cord is fully unwound and when the knot on the end has slipped out of the notch 2 i In this case the cord acts like a feather, Vkeeping the bomb vertical during ight.

With the embodiments shown in Figs. l, 2 and 4, the bomb drops at a predetermined time internal after thetake-of In these devices the speed of. the plane does not aiiect the release of the bomb.

While I have described what I consider the best embodiments of my invention, there are many modications which still fall within the purview of the same. For example, the plane; that is the aeroplane or the glider modlcation; may be released from the hand, from a tower or from the ground. Many diierent methods of releasing the bombs may be employed; these methods advantageously providing release after a predetermined time interval or after a predetermined distance of flight. Many different types of bombs may be employed. vFor example, I have even found a simple dart eiective, this dart being provided with a sharp point at one endand aA feather at the other. A simple form of bomb is a small bag of shot which will remain approximately where it strikes without sliding or rolling. Any type'of toy glider or aeroplane may be employed. Targets of any description are suitable. These are advantageously providedwith rings or areas representing different scores by means of which a competitive game may be played. Various other modications falling within the scope of my invention will be evident to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a free ilying toy bombing plane, a bomb carried by said plane, a cord secured to said plane and wrapped around said bomb adapted to temporarilyhold said bomb to said plane and to gradually unwrap to release said bomb at a predetermined point while said plane is in full ight, a target adapted to be struck by said bomb and means provided on said target for causing a detonation upon the striking of said target by said bomb.

2. In combination, a freeA ying toy bombing plane, a miniature bomb, a cord wrapped with a plurality of turns around said bomb and attached to said plane, said cord being adapted to unwind from said bomb thereby releasing the same while said plane is in full flight and in time relation to the number of turns of cord wrapped around said bomb.

3. In combination, a free flying toy bombing plane, a miniature bomb, a cord attached to said bomb and means mounted on-said plane for temporarily holding said cord by means of a plurality of turns of said cord and for automatically releasing `the same at a predetermined point, thereby also releasing said bomb while said plane is in full Hight and in time relation to the said turns of said cord.

4. In combination, a free iiying toy bombing plane, a cord and a miniature bomb temporarily secured to said plane by a plurality of turns of said cord, said cord being adapted to gradually unwind thereby releasing said bomb while said plane is in full ight and in time relation to the number of turns of said cord which secure said bomb to said plane.

5. The. device of claim 4 in further combination with a tower for setting said plane in ight.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the said target comprises a hard surface and said bomb is adapted to detonate upon striking such a surface.

Lbms 'I'. E. THOMPSON. 

